C.B.S. aims to finish roads before freeze
Contingency plan to be prepared in case of unexpected problems
Coun. Gerard Tilley said the Town of Conception Bay South is aware some people regularly driving the Conception Bay Highway and living in the area of Indian Pond Road are less than happy with their municipal leaders right now.
There are two, significant public infrastructure projects ongoing in close proximity in that area. Tilley, chair of the council’s public works committee, said he hopes both projects will wrap up within the coming month.
The first project is finishing along the Conception Bay Highway, in front of the College of the North Atlantic’s Seal Cove campus. It is a roughly $2-million water and sewer project.
It was started in 2016, but the contractor encountered contaminated soil from an old oil spill, dating back 50 or 60 years, Tilley said.
He said the contaminated soil has been removed and remaining work should be completed within the next month. The project will connect another 50 homes to municipal water and sewer, he said.
The second project causing grief is an $8-million water and sewer project beginning on a road that runs from the highway not far from the college campus.
On Indian Pond Road, a sign remained up this week telling drivers the road remains closed to all but local residents. Heavy machinery and stacked piping could be seen a short distance in.
The water and sewer installation project is expected to connect about 175 homes, but has also negatively affected existing water wells at 10 or 11 properties, Tilley said.
The Telegram was separately told of 17 wells affected.
“It’s common during this type of construction. It’s common shallow water wells go dry,” Tilley said.
In response, Conception Bay South has temporarily hooked hoses to area hydrants and run them to provide homes with water.
Tilley said a permanent fix for the problem will be the completion of the water and sewer mains and hookups — something he said can also be expected in the next month.
“I’d like to say before winter, but before winter could be two weeks, could be four weeks,” he said, later repeating within four weeks to be his expectation.
He said town officials will meet with the contractor responsible for the work at Indian Pond Road and Indian Pond Estates area on Nov. 1.
A contingency plan, he said, will be in place in the case of any extended freeze-up of hoses before work is completed.
“I can understand the frustration of all the residents,” Tilley said. “We’re just asking people to be a little bit patient.”
Anyone with ongoing questions or concerns is encouraged to contact the town office. Tilley is heading out of town for a time, but said other council representatives can respond to inquiries.